IMPACT (a.k.a. plate; ink-on-paper):
letterpress (relief)
flexography (relief)
offset lithography (planographic)
gravure (intaglio)
screen printing/stencil duplicating (porous)
CHARACTERISTICS: image carriers; mechanical printing machines; "real" ink; variable press speeds (iph/fpm); non-variable printed images

USES:

commercial printing
catalogs
greeting cards
packaging

magazines
books
maps
posters

newspapers
forms
labels & tags
currency

NON-IMPACT (a.k.a. plateless; toner-based)
electrophotography (Xerography)
inkjet
thermal transfer
dye sublimation
ion deposition
magnetography
CHARACTERISTICS: no image carriers; copiers and digital printers; toner or "electroink" ; constant output speed (cpm); variable-data printing

USES:

transaction documents
addressing
on-demand printing

proofing
bar-coding
variable data on preprinted "shells"